The belted kingfisher is 11-14 inches (28-35 cm) in length with a wingspan of 19-23 inches (48-58 cm).
It has a stocky body and a large head with a shaggy crest; a long, thick, sharp bill; small legs and feet; a white spot by its eyes; and a short, barred tail. It is slate blue on its head, upper breast, back, wings, and tail. It has a white belly, a white collar around its neck, and a slate-blue breast band.
Males and females look alike, but the female may have a rusty red band on her belly.
The belted kingfisher often has favorite perches along the water that it uses to search for fish. It hovers or perches above clear water looking for its prey. Once it spots it, it dives headfirst toward the water and snatches it up at, or just below, the surface of the water.
It returns to its perch and beats its prey against a tree branch to stun it. It then tosses its prey into the air, catches it headfirst, and swallows it.
The belted kingfisher also eats frogs, toads, crayfish, crabs, mice, salamanders, lizards, and insects.
The male belted kingfisher chooses a breeding territory and courts the female by singing to her and bringing her fish. After mating, both the male and female dig a 3-8 foot (0.91-2.4 m) burrow in a sandy bank. The female lays 6-8 eggs in the burrow. Both the male and female incubate the eggs for 22-24 days.
Both parents feed the chicks regurgitated fish. The chicks leave the burrow when they are about 28 days old. They stay with their parents for about three weeks.
The belted kingfisher has a lifespan of 6-10 years in the wild.
The belted kingfisher is very territorial. The male chases intruders away from his territory by calling out with a rattling call.
Except for during the breeding season, the belted kingfisher is a solitary bird.
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The belted kingfisher breeds in all of New Hampshire and is found year-round in the Connecticut River region and in the southern part of the state. Birds in other parts of the state may migrate in the fall.
The belted kingfisher is found across Alaska and Canada south through the United States, Mexico, and Central America.
It winters from southern Canada south to Central America and the Caribbean.
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